Are you disillusioned and frustrated when praying for the sick?

Details: Written by: John OBrien & Michael Angell; Published: 18 January 2021

Do you feel disillusioned, let down and frustrated with the results you get when trying to pray for the sick. The Bible tells us to pray for the healing of the condition of the sick and those in poor health.

Healing of the sick are taking place throughout the gospels and the book of Acts. There are many allusions to healing in the epistles. With all that said, many of us get disillusioned and feel frustrated because of the lack of results we get.

This is a story about how those results got changed!

This is a story of one man’s life who had dedicated his life to spread the Gospel.For most of his Christian life he would go and pray for the sick. Those who got prayed for would say "thanks so much, that was a real help". The problem was that nothing happened to end their suffering. People he visited and prayed for were as sick after he left as before he came. This went on for years and years and years. He had nothing to report about the recovery of those he visited and prayed for. Nothing!

Being well educated, he had many books on the subject of God working through our prayers to heal the sick. He knew all the bible verses on the subject of healing. He had several versions of the Bible to support his search for the christian way of healing the sick. But his effort was a failure. Nothing ever happened.

He became dejected. He felt frustrated. He was so unsure of himself and his belief that when someone asked him for prayer, he put them off and directing them to other sources. He told those who approached him that he was no good at praying for the sick and they should go see someone else. He was very frustrated and in despair.

New revelation

One day he read some of the key verses in the Bible again. He had read this many times before. But this time, read it in a new light.

Matthew 9:6-8
6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house.
8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

AND ANOTHER:

Matthew 10:1
10 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

STILL MORE

Matthew 28:18
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

STILL MORE

Luke 9:1-2
9 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

FINALLY

Luke 10:19
19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

The book of Matthew shows us that the authority that was given to Jesus in chapter 9 was passed on to the apostles in chapter 10; by Jesus Himself. In Matthew 28 Jesus say that ALL authority in heaven on earth has been given to Jesus. Matthew 28 sums up that Jesus always will be with us to the end of the ages.

Continuing the story..

The source of the problem became very clear. He recognized that he did not have authority over sickness nor over disease. The spiritual authority was lacking in this area of his Christian experience. He had no problems casting out demons, yet he had no power over sickness and ill health. He prayed more than six months that the sick and ill would go to some other person nearby to seek healing. The very idea of him having such a huge authority over the work of the sickness seemed impossible, to him.

But God is good.

He was preaching to a small church on a Sunday evening service about the laws of faith. He mentioned his search for authority over sickness and prayers of command such as "rise up and walk etc". After the service when he was leaving the building he found many people wanted prayer. He felt he had to pray for them. If he didn’t his message would mean nothing. He was stuck. He prayed with authority and used prayers of command. Guess what! Healing took place. The people waiting for healing, got what they waited for. Nothing like this has ever happened to him before. This was the very first time he had seen God given healing in this manner. People that was waiting for healing got it in an instant. It was not because there was something special about him, it was because of faith in God and God’s authority.

PRAYING FOR THE SICK

Pray healing scriptures and about God's authority over all things. Picture in your mind what you are praying. Picture in your mind the actions and the act of God delivering. Issue a firm command of in Jesus' name, thus bringing the desired solution to the problem you are praying for

This is what we should do

Start small, learn by experience and prayer. Don’t start alone. You may start in a small group of believing friends. Find a time and place to practice what you believe- often and even daily.

James 5:14-15a
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders (somebody that has experience in praying for the sick) of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith (commanding prayer) will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.

Prayer & Bible Center